The Sting
by SpecialHell
Summary: AU slash. Mac goes undercover to bust Sonny Sassone. Mac/Danny
1. Chapter 1

Detective Mac Taylor took a deep breath before taking off his badge. He handed it to Detective Flack, who gave him a reassuring smile.

"You ready for this?" He asked; concern gleaming in his eyes as he looked at the older man.

"As I'll ever be," Mac replied quietly. Flack nodded shortly and handed Mac a blank brown file.

"This is your story. The contacts have already been set up. They'll be expecting you tonight." Mac nodded slowly. He turned to walk away, but was stopped by a hand on his shoulder.  
"Be careful, Mac," The detective smiled at the worry radiating off his friend.

"I always am Don." Satisfied with the reply, Flack let Mac go and the shorter man walked away; file still in hand.

Twelve years. That's how long it had been since his last undercover assignment. He'd sworn when he got married that he wasn't going to put himself in this position again. But, when Mac's wife Claire had died, everything changed. He tried to fool himself. To say he was doing this for all the good that came of it. That he was trying to make a difference. The truth was, he just wanted the feeling back. He wanted to disappear into the character he was playing. He didn't want to be Mac Taylor anymore. Opening the file, Mac let out an exasperated laugh as he read the front page.

_Cover Name: Mac_

_Cover Story: Make it up._

_Target: Sonny Sassone._

_Good Luck – Donnie._

(~*~)

Danny sighed heavily as he looked at himself in the mirror. The makeup Sonny's sister had given him was doing a good job; he could barely see the bruises from the night before. Why she had decided he should wear eyeliner was beyond him; but she was so sure and he'd been too tired to argue. Looking at the clock, Danny let out another soft sigh before pushing himself up from the table and turning towards the door. He'd heard Sonny talking about a deal that was happening tonight, and that left him with a sinking feeling; more bad guys to entertain, and a lowered chance that he'd survive the night.


	2. Chapter 2

Mac checked his watch. 9:30. Late enough that it seemed like he had better things to do, but not so late they'd think he wasn't coming. It surprised Mac how easily he had fallen back into a bad guy mindset, but he shook that off as he adjusted the cuffs on his black shirt. He was wearing the only pair of jeans he'd been able to dig out of his wardrobe – black and almost too tight to fit. Stella had assured him they suited, so he'd let it go. Cracking his neck one last time, Mac reached forward and rapped shortly on the door. It was opened immediately, and Mac effortlessly stared down the bodyguard standing there.

"Who're you?" The guard asked. Mac was glad there was a real cover story underneath Don's front cover.

"Name's Rogers," Mac lied easily. "Sonny's expecting me." The guard gave him an evaluating look before stepping aside and letting him in.

The music that hit Mac when he stepped in made him want to turn and leave, but he took a deep breath and kept walking. It took him a moment, but his eyes quickly locked onto Sonny Sassone, and he started walking towards the man. When Sonny saw him, he stood with a cocky smile.

"You must be Rogers," He said, putting his drink down.

"Call me Mac," Was the reply, and Sonny laughed in approval. With a wave of his hand, he dismissed everyone near; both male and female. He indicated for Mac to sit, which he did.

"You want a drink?" He asked, and Mac nodded. Another wave brought a young woman with a tray of drinks. She handed Mac a drink with a smile, before turning to Sonny.

"We're almost out of champagne Sonny, gimme your credit card so I can go and get more." Mac hid a smile at the exchange. He recognised the tone immediately as family, and the sigh Sonny gave as he handed over the card confirmed it.

"Sisters," Sonny complained as she walked away. Mac simply took a sip of his drink and remained quiet.

"We have business to discuss," Mac offered when it seemed Sonny wasn't going to start talking again.

"We've got all night for business," Sonny replied. "Have a drink; relax a little. I'll be right back." Sonny stood up and walked across the room; checking the rest of the guests were having a good time. Mac took this time to look around; gauging the crowd in case of trouble. His eyes stopped at the sight of someone who definitely didn't belong. The man was average height, but seemed to stand tall. His dirty blonde hair was sticking up at odd angles, and his lithe body was clad in tight denim jeans and white top. When the man turned his head, Mac could see sharp blue eyes surrounded by black kohl. The sight almost took his breath away, but Mac forced himself to focus as he saw Sonny start to walk back towards him. The sly smile on the criminal's face told Mac that maybe he hadn't been as quick as he'd like in hiding his interest.

"Can I get you another drink?" Mac turned to see a young, scantily clad woman that Mac suspected was just shy of the legal age.

"Thanks," Mac said, handing her his half empty champagne glass. "You got anything stronger around here?"

"Jack ok?" Mac nodded and the girl smiled at him before turning to leave. By the time she left, Sonny was back. He sat down opposite Mac with a grin.

"You relaxin' yet?" He asked. Mac faked a smile.

"I'm getting there, yeah. Your girl over there," He indicated to where she had left. "Is getting me a stiff drink." Sonny smiled in the direction of the girl.

"Yeah, she's a good girl," Sonny allowed. "Her brother was a Tanglewood boy a few years back."

"What happened to him?" Mac was sure to keep his voice curious.

"There was an unfortunate accident," Sonny replied vaguely. "But we promised we'd take care of his family, and that's what we're doing." Mac nodded, turning to look at the girl as she picked up his drink to bring to him.

"How old is she?"

"Twenty-two, would you believe it?" Sonny laughed lightly. "She don't look it, I know." Mac smiled along with Sonny, but he didn't stop scanning the room.  
"So, how about that business?" Sonny eventually asked. "You wanna discuss it here, or would you prefer somewhere more private?"

"If you trust the people in this room to hear about it, I'm ok with that." Mac answered as Sonny beckoned someone behind him.

"Alright," Sonny smiled; pulling on a hand outstretched behind Mac. "But first I'd like to offer you a party favour."

Mac turned his head to see the owner of the hand; the same young man he'd been looking at earlier. The young man settled onto Sonny's lap, but Mac could see the discomfort in his eyes.

"Mac, this is Danny." Danny smiled as best he could, and Mac hoped the smile he gave in return was comforting.

"We have things to discuss first," Mac started; trying to keep his tone even. "Maybe later."

"Alright," Sonny agreed, slapping Danny on the leg. Danny got up obediently. "We got work to do, Dan, so beat it." Danny started to walk away when Sonny grabbed his arm.  
"Nobody touches you," Sonny's voice was a clear warning. Danny nodded dutifully and walked away. Mac forced himself not to watch Danny leave, and pretended he didn't see the knowing look Sonny was giving him.


	3. Chapter 3

It was almost three hours later when Mac was finally done talking to Sonny. He'd set up the senior Tanglewood boy perfectly. Mac had the feeling this would be over inside the month, and it was with a lightened mood that he approached Danny.

"Hey," He said quietly; leaning in to the younger man's ear. Danny turned to face him; forcing a smile to his face that didn't reach his eyes. Mac tried to ignore in insincerity of it, along with the tug it caused in his stomach.  
"You want a drink?" Danny shook his head slowly.

"Sonny don't like me drinkin' at these things." It was the first time Mac had heard the blonde speak, and he immediately felt like he could do it forever. The clipped tone, broken up with drawn out syllables that weren't quite words. A classic Italian-America accent that did nothing to hide the intelligence that shone through. Mac couldn't help the genuine smile that crossed his lips.

"So we won't tell him," He replied. Far from relaxing the mood like Mac had hoped, this seemed to scare Danny. The thought of why the young man was scared to disobey Sonny made Mac want to find the Boss and knock him unconscious. Instead, Mac placed a comforting hand on Danny's shoulder.  
"If he finds out, I'll take responsibility, ok?" Slowly, Danny nodded. "Alright, so what do you want to drink?"

"Beer's fine," Danny mumbled in response. Mac's hand slid from Danny's shoulder to the small of his back as he led the blonde to the bar. Danny stiffened slightly, but he followed along amicably nonetheless.

"Danny!" Danny looked over to where Sonny was standing. They were only halfway to the bar, and even Danny didn't think Sonny had figured where they were going. He was careful to keep a blank expression as Sonny walked towards them, and pretended to himself that he wasn't leaning into the hand on his back.

"Something wrong Sonny?" Danny asked carefully.

"Nothin' wrong; just a change of plan," Sonny replied. "Louie and I got some work to do down in Jersey, so you gotta stay here tonight." Danny nodded wordlessly.  
"You stay with Mac tonight. He's our guest, so you take good care of him, ok?"

"Sure thing." There was no real conviction to Danny's tone, but it seemed enough for Sonny. He walked easily past Danny and Mac to leave.

"So," Mac tried his best to smile once Sonny was gone. "How 'bout that drink?" Danny turned to Mac and nodded. Mac's heart clenched at the subdued look in Danny's eyes, but he made himself keep walking towards the bar. Sonny might not be in the room, but Mac couldn't afford to break character now, with so many people still around.

"Hey, Jessie." A young woman Mac recognised as Sonny's sister looked up when Danny called her. The woman smiled.

"What's up honey?"

"Sonny and Louie are out for the night, so I'm gonna need a room here." Mac suppressed a smile at how much more confident Danny seemed talking to Jessie.

"Sure, I'll get you set up in a while. You want a drink?"

"Yeah, I'll take a beer, and…" Danny turned to Mac; a little of that uncertainty back.

"Wait, I remember," Jessie cut in with a smile. "Double Jack, straight, right?"

"Perfect," Mac smiled. Jessie set up the drinks before turning to Danny.

"So, what are our idiot brothers up to now?" Danny looked over worriedly to Mac, who picked up his drink.

"Don't mind me," He said good-naturedly before taking a sip. Danny turned back to Jessie, who was pouring herself a glass of Jack.

"I have no idea," He answered, letting his frustration show. "All Sonny said was they're goin' down to Jersey." Jessie swore under her breath before taking a long swig from her glass.

"I swear those boys are gonna show up dead one of these days. They're way too reckless. Think they're fuckin' invincible."

"Jess…"

"I tell ya, every time I answer my damn phone I'm expecting a call from the local PD, telling me Sonny's either dead or in jail."

"Jessie…"

"And I swear to God, if that boy gets arrested again, I am not bailing him out. I am sick of going down to that police station and pulling his ass out of there."

"Jess!" Jessie stopped her rant to look at Danny, who was not-so-subtly tilting his head towards Mac.

"Oh, right, sorry. You don't need to hear all of this. I'm the big sister, y'know? It's my job to worry." Mac smiled and nodded a little.  
"You shouldn't be hanging around here; I'll show you to a room." Jessie moved out from behind the bar and led Mac and Danny across the room. Danny fell easily into step behind Mac as Jessie stopped at a door.  
"Here you go," She smiled. "Everyone's clearing out soon, so you shouldn't be disturbed, but there's a lock on the door if you wanna use it." Mac nodded shortly as Jessie turned to leave. His hand fell to the door handle; hesitating for a moment. The feel of Danny's hand on his back; the first contact the younger man had made, woke Mac up and he opened the door, leading Danny inside.

Danny looked warily at Mac as he closed the door. There was something different about the man standing before him that was confusing. The only word Danny could think of to describe it was 'honest,' which made no sense considering he was a criminal. Danny knew this; Sonny never associated with anyone who wasn't. He knew criminals. The thing that was bothering him was that Mac didn't seem like a criminal, but Danny had no doubt the man in the room with him was dangerous. Taking a shallow breath, Danny's hand hovered over the lock; unsure of whether or not to use it.

"Don't bother with the lock." Danny jumped a little at the sound of Mac's voice, even though it was quiet. Turning slowly, Danny looked at Mac. He'd never been this nervous with one of Sonny's friends before. Usually he knew where he stood, and exactly what was going to happen.  
"Come here." Danny complied quietly; standing in front of Mac expectantly. "Y'know, you've barely spoken to me all night." Panic flashed in Danny's eyes, until he looked up and saw the soft smile on Mac's face. Sighing softly, Danny shook his head.  
"Is something wrong?"

"It's nothin'," Danny mumbled. "I just get a little tense when Louie goes out, that's all." Danny didn't know why he was telling Mac this. Usually he could turn on the charm and get any man to speed up his evening's plans, but for some reason he didn't want to lie to the man before him. With a sly smirk, Mac reached around Danny's waist, pulling the younger man in.

"I think I have a cure for that." Leaning in, Mac placed a soft, slow kiss on Danny's lips. He'd always been told kissing was a strength; and sure enough after a few more seconds of the soft assault, Mac felt Danny's body relax against his.

Danny couldn't stop the soft shudder that went through his body as he started to kiss back. To his surprise, Mac pulled away.

"It's getting late," Mac said softly. "We should get some sleep." Mac stepped away, and Danny looked at him in confusion.

"I thought…" Mac looked at Danny with a little amusement.

"Oh, I'm not having sex with you," Mac explained easily.

"Why?" Danny immediately cursed himself for the question. Mac simply smiled.

"Well, for starters, I prefer someone to have sex with me because they want to, not because someone told them to," Mac waited for Danny to disagree, but Danny thought it best to be quiet. "And I'd like to at least know your last name beforehand."

"Messer," Danny mumbled.

"Danny Messer," Mac repeated with a small nod. "I like it." Danny almost laughed, but stopped himself. He didn't want to put a foot wrong; still not having figured Mac out completely.  
"Well, Danny Messer, how about you strip to your underwear and hop into bed with me?" Danny looked confused again, and this time Mac laughed.  
"Relax, Danny. If anyone walks in here tonight, I just want them to assume what you assumed." Danny nodded wordlessly and pulled off his shirt. He looked up to see Mac staring at his bared chest. He looked at the older man questioningly.  
"What?" Mac asked with a smirk. "I didn't say I wouldn't look." Danny laughed a little and shook his head. He couldn't figure out if Mac was intentionally keeping him off balance, but it was clear the man was enjoying this. It was then that a thought hit Danny. What if this was a test? He didn't know if Mac was the kind of guy who would play games, but it made sense in Sonny's world. If Mac woke up in the morning and reported to Sonny that Danny had been anything less than the perfect host, there would be trouble. Swallowing down his fear, Danny stepped forward; a smile forming on his lips.

"Here," He almost whispered, his fingers landing on the buttons of Mac's shirt. "Let me." Mac regarded Danny with a little confusion as he dexterously worked the buttons out of their holes. When Danny's thumbs began to rub at the skin he was revealing, Mac had to force his breath not to hitch.

"Danny…" Mac started.

"Hush," Danny countered easily. "Just relax." Mac wanted to protest, but in the back of his mind he remembered he was supposed to be someone else right now. Mac Taylor may feel bad about this, but Mac Rogers was a bad guy; he wasn't going to pass up someone like Danny. Mac barely felt the shirt fall from his shoulders, but his brain started to pay attention again when Danny's hands fell to the button on his jeans. Undercover or not, Mac knew he couldn't let this go on. Sighing, Mac took Danny's hands in a firm grip and moved them away from his jeans.

"Maybe you should take care of your own first," Mac spoke softly; trying to word things so as not to blow his cover. Danny nodded silently; he should have figured Mac would want to be in control. Stepping back, Danny took off his jeans and dropped them to the floor with his top. By the time he looked back, Mac was out of his jeans, and already turning down the bedclothes. Danny couldn't hold back a laugh. Mac turned to him questioningly.

"You're really not looking to have sex with me." It was a statement, not a question, so Mac turned back towards the bed.

"Get the light on your way to bed," Mac said as he climbed under the covers. As the lights went out, it occurred to Mac that this would be the first time he'd shared a bed with someone since Claire.

"Ow!" The exclamation had Mac sitting up.

"Danny?" Mac felt the bed dip, and sighed a little in relief.

"I just stepped on your gun," Danny answered offhandedly. "Nothing to worry about." Far from relaxing him, Mac was disturbed by how calmly Danny talked about him having a gun. Like it was expected of him to bring one.

"I should have put it on the table," Mac whispered by way of an apology. He heard Danny hum sleepily in the dark, and felt a hand on his arms.

"Night Mac," Danny mumbled. Mac didn't respond; guessing Danny was already asleep. Mac sighed with the knowledge that he wouldn't be joining the younger man any time soon.


	4. Chapter 4

Danny woke slowly to the feel of warm breath on his neck. He quickly noted an arm wrapped tightly around his waist, and memories from the night before began to surface. He couldn't tell if Mac had yet regained consciousness, but the warm breath was slowly replaced with the older man nuzzling into Danny's neck. Mac's nose swept up Danny's neck to behind his ear, before being replaced with soft, barely there kisses. Danny's breath hitched unconsciously as he tried to figure out what to do, and that seemed enough to wake his bed partner. Breathing in deeply, Mac sighed.

"Sorry," He mumbled. "Habit." Danny nodded.

"S'ok," He answered, but quickly noticed Mac's arm wasn't getting any looser around his middle. Danny turned onto his back in the embrace, looking up at the man he was with. To his surprise, Mac's soft expression quickly changed to one of concern and anger.

"What happened to you?" He all but demanded. Danny looked up, confused for a moment, before quickly realising the problem. Slowly, he raised a hand to his face, already knowing the makeup must have smudged. Mac didn't seem to be getting any calmer, and Danny sighed as he answered.

"Hazards of the job," He explained quietly. "You hang out with thugs and criminals all the time, it's bound to happen. No offence to your profession."

"This Sonny's fault?" Mac looked positively mutinous, and Danny realised he could be losing Sonny the deal he'd been setting up.

"No!" Danny sat up quickly. "Sonny just introduces me to people he needs me to entertain. Anything that happens after is my fault. Sometimes I'm not as enthusiastic as people like." Danny let his head drop at the admission. He heard Mac sigh heavily before feeling a gentle hand on his leg.

"We should get up," Mac's voice was soft, and Danny had to look up. "Your brother could be back by now, and I've got a few things to do."

"You go ahead," Danny whispered. "I'll be out in a minute." Mac nodded, leaning in to kiss Danny on the forehead.

Mac left the room once he was dressed and immediately headed for the front door. There was nobody around and he didn't need to worry when he pulled out his phone and dialled a familiar number.

"Don," Mac's voice was tense when the call was picked up. "I need you to get all the information you can on Danny and Louie Messer." The reply was in the affirmative, and Mac's shoulders relaxed a little. "Thanks. Come get me when you've got something." Mac hung up and put his phone away; heading straight for his apartment.

(~*~)

Mac swirled the drink in his glass. He'd only been at his apartment for half an hour before he needed to get out. So, here he was; three hours later, sitting in a bar he'd never normally go to. A shadow fell across the bar, and Mac turned to the source. He suppressed a smile at the sight of Flack, in full Detective mode.

"Mackanna Rogers?" Mac smirked.

"Who's askin'?" His smirk was mirrored in Don. They were having too much fun with this.

"I'm afraid I have to ask you to come to the station."

"I didn't do nothin'," Mac protested. Flack let out an indulgent sigh and pulled Mac off the bar stool.

"Don't make this hard, Rogers." The barman had wisely stepped into the backroom, but not before refilling Mac's glass.

"How 'bout I make it easy?" Don gave Mac a 'try me' look, and was rewarded with a glass of Scotch being thrown in his face.

"You're right, that is easy," Flack turned Mac and pinned him to the bar. He handcuffed the man; making it look much rougher than it was.  
"I'm arresting you for assaulting an officer," Flack pulled Mac away from the bar and pushed him out of the door.

Looking around when they got outside, Flack checked for suspicious people before putting Mac in the back of his car.

When he got inside, Flack adjusted his mirror so he could see Mac; smiling at him from the back seat.

"You alright?"

"I'll be better when you take these cuffs off." Flack laughed.

"Not until we get to the station. Gotta make it look real, Mac." Still smiling, Mac looked out of the tinted window.

"Good to see you're not slipping without me around."

(~*~)

Mac rubbed his newly released wrists; watching as Don sat opposite him.

"I got good news and bad news," Flack sighed.

"Start with the good."

"Louie Messer has a rap sheet a mile long. Most of it Tanglewood related; all of it violent." Mac sighed; he wasn't really surprised.

"And the bad news?"

"Danny Messer. Apart from citations on a few assaults when he was a kid, I got nothing."

"Citations?"

"As the victim," Don replied. "Every time the charges were dropped."

"Who was the attacker?" Mac was sitting straighter now. Flack looked down at his casefile.

"Sonny Sassone. Never seemed the slightest bit sorry either. One report states his reason as, 'He was giving me lip,' another says 'I was knocking some sense into him.' Danny's brother Louie always accompanied him to the police station, and the hospital when he needed it." Mac sighed a little.

"When did the complaints stop?" Flack looked back down.

"Five years ago. In fact, Danny hasn't popped up on the radar at all in those five years. He hasn't even been by to pick up his brother from lock-up."

"So who has been picking him up?"

"Jessica Sassone. She's Sonny's older sister. Been down here so many times, she's on a first name basis with half the precinct." Mac nodded.

"I met her. She made no secret about how sick she was of bailing Sonny out."

"We might be able to use that somewhere down the line."

"I have to go back tonight," Mac said thoughtfully. "I'll see if I can get any more from her." Don looked at Mac curiously.

"What's the story with the Messer boys?"

"Louie looks to be Sonny's right hand man."

"And Danny?"

"He's… entertainment," Mac looked disgusted; shaking his head.

"You think he's being held against his will?"

"I think he's terrified of Sonny Sassone." Flack closed the file with a sigh.

"So, you're telling me, when this sting goes off, that we've got at least one victim to be mindful of." Mac was silent for a long moment before looking up at Don.

"I may be able to get him out before all this happens." Mac stood up slowly; closely followed by Flack.

"You be careful," Don's tone was a warning; almost parental. Mac smiled affectionately at Flack.

"I will. Can you do me a favour?" Don nodded. "Get Stella over here; I'd like to talk to her before I go back."

"You find something the lab can use?" Mac shook his head.

"I'm hoping she can help me get her some though."

(~*~)

Stella's eyes danced with laughter as she walked into the interrogation room.

"Never thought I'd see you that side of the table, Mac." Mac smirked.

"Well don't get used to it." Sitting down across from Mac, Stella looked serious.

"What do you need?"

"I want you to see if you have an open casefile." Stella looked at Mac's expression before sighing.

"I'm not getting a lot of information for this one, am I?" Mac smiled apologetically.

"All I know is it's a Tanglewood case. A dead male. Would have happened in the last few years."

"That's all you're giving me to go on?"

"I know he has a younger sister," Mac offered. Stella sighed again before standing up.

"I'll see what I can do, but I can't make any promises. We're already short staffed." Mac nodded in thanks and Stella smiled at him before leaving. Flack stepped forward as Mac stood.

"Got everything you need?" He asked.

"For now," Mac replied. "All I need is what I was arrested for." Don smirked.

"I just didn't like the look of you, Mac. You know how it goes." Mac smirked back.

"So it has nothing to do with me dousing your favourite shirt in bourbon?" Flack laughed as he opened the door.

"Tell you what. You make up the charge, and I'll just agree with it." Laughing softly, Mac clapped Don on the shoulder before leaving.


	5. Chapter 5

Danny stared at the wall. He could hear Sonny shouting in the other room. The soft whimpers of a woman could barely be heard above the yelling, and Danny couldn't stop himself flinching when hear heard a loud thud against the wall. A short moment later, his door opened and Jess walked in. The look on her face was carefully blank, and anyone but Danny would have missed the anger simmering in her eyes.

"What happened?" Danny couldn't believe how small his own voice sounded.

"Maria went out last night without telling Sonny." Danny cursed under his breath.

"Somethin' happen to her?" Jess sat down heavily on the bed.

"She got stopped by a cop with the take money from this weekend. Cop asks for ID, which obviously she doesn't have. If one of the boys from the bar hadn't been close; she'd be in lockup right now." Danny sighed softly.

"You want me to check on her?" Jess took a deep breath and stood up.

"Yeah. I gotta go calm Sonny down before Mac gets here." Danny forced himself not to react.

"Mac's coming?"

"Yeah, they got some details to finalise about the deal. Sonny's getting more and more jumpy about this whole thing."

"If it's worth anything, Mac seems like an ok guy to me." Jess smiled softly.

"You always were a good judge of character, Dan." Danny tried to smile as Jess turned and left him alone. Taking a deep breath; Danny stilled himself for what he was about to do. Slowly, he stood up and made his way to the door.

It was a short walk to the next room, and Danny took another breath before opening the door and going inside.

Danny's heart leapt into his throat when he entered the room. Maria was sitting on the floor, crying for all she was worth. Her mascara was smeared down her cheeks; hair falling out of her tight bun, and a bruise blooming on her cheek. Sighing sympathetically, Danny knelt down next to her.

"Hey," He whispered. Maria looked up jerkily, and Danny's heart sank as he remembered the fear she was feeling. She relaxed when she saw it was Danny; tears still rolling down her face.  
"C'mon," Danny's voice was soft, and he reached down to help Maria to her feet. She leaned heavily on Danny, who led her over to the bed and sat her down carefully.

"M'sorry," She whispered; voice hoarse. Danny shook his head.

"Got nothin' to be sorry for," Danny assured gently. "You know how Sonny overreacts. You just happened to be in the firing line this time. Coulda been me. Usually is." Maria looked up; genuine fear in her eyes.

"He wants to put me to work," She whispered desperately. Danny pulled her in immediately; hugging her gently.

"It'll be ok," Danny whispered; kissing her forehead softly. "I'm not gonna let anything happen to you." Danny continued his soothing litany as Maria broke down again.

(~*~)

Mac could hear shouting coming from inside the penthouse. Opening the door slowly, he tried not to be noticed.

"No, Sonny. I don't care what you say. You're gonna calm the hell down before you make any decisions!"

"Is that so?" Mac could hear the false bravado in Sonny's voice as his sister laid into him.

"Yeah, it is. I'm sick of you trying to run everything around here. You pulled me in to take care of things, remember? I was gettin' out. Goin' to college. You told me you needed me, and now you wanna do my job?" Mac didn't need to see Sonny to know that the younger brother was faltering by now.

"She almost got herself busted, Jess. What do you expect me to do?"

"I expect you to stay out of it. I'll deal with Maria. You can't just decide that pimping her out is gonna fix things. For Christ sake Sonny, she's 17!" Mac heard the sigh that meant Sonny had lost.

"Alright," Sonny's voice was small and chastised. "But if she goes off like that again, I swear to God…" Mac decided to make his presence known. He opened the door before shutting it loudly. A short moment later, and Jessie appeared around in front of Mac.

"Hey," She smiled. "Sonny's just through there." She indicated behind her. Mac smiled pleasantly; he recognised the fire in her eyes and knew he should just smile and nod. If there was one thing he was familiar with, it was women scorned. Mac watched as she walked briskly past him, towards a nearby bedroom. Mac walked further into the room, seeing Sonny at the bar; downing a row of shots.

"Bad day?" Sonny looked up as Mac spoke. He gave a bitter smirk before continuing to drink. "I could come back," Mac offered.

"No need," Sonny spoke shortly. "I just wanted to say the plans have changed." Mac forced himself to remain calm.

"How?"

"Gotta move things up. I got business out of state, so we need to do this next week."

"Shouldn't be a problem," Mac agreed amicably.

"Good." Sonny's tone was clipped as he finished up his drinks. "Danny's in the back if you wanna see him. From what I heard, you two had a good time." Mac stopped himself from reacting; the grim smirk Sonny was displaying causing his fists to clench. Turning slowly, Mac walked towards the back where he'd seen Jess go.

Danny stopped dead when he saw Mac round the corner. He could feel the tension radiating off the older man. It lessened a little when he saw Danny.

"Mac." Danny breathed. Mac's lip quirked upwards and his shoulders relaxed completely.

"You wanna get outta here?" Mac asked; exhaustion barely concealed from his expression. Danny smiled, looking a little relieved, and nodded.

"Lemme just tell Jess we're leaving." Mac nodded and waited while Danny retreated to the bedroom.

(~*~)

Mac looked at Danny from across the diner table. The younger man was very quiet, and Mac could see the tension in his shoulders. The same anger he'd seen in Jessie's eyes was rolling off Danny in waves.

"What's wrong?" Mac asked; deciding a straightforward approach was best. Danny looked up briefly; flashing an insincere smile.

"Nothing," He answered.

"Don't lie to me," Mac countered easily. "You're pissed. You and Jess both, I could feel it back at the penthouse." Danny faltered; looking into his coffee.

"I don't wanna say," He started. "Sonny…"

"There's nothing you can tell me about Sonny that'll make me think less of him." Danny looked up curiously. "It's not possible for me to think any less of him than I already do," Mac explained with a wry smirk. "But business is business." Danny nodded slowly before speaking.

"One of the girls got into trouble. Maria…"

"The one who doesn't look twenty two?" Mac guessed. Danny nodded slowly.

"It's because she aint." Mac nodded; not letting on about what he'd already heard. "Anyway, Sonny slapped her around pretty good about it. And he's talking about putting her to work. I promised I'd keep her safe, but I don't know how I'm gonna do that." Danny closed his eyes. He shouldn't be saying any of this. There was nothing to say Mac wasn't in Sonny's pocket; and everything would get back to the boss. Nothing except for the look in Mac's eyes. The look that now said he wanted to kill Sonny, and make sure nobody every found the body.

"I can help," Mac said through gritted teeth. "As soon as this business with Sonny is through; I promise I'll help you. Both of you." Danny released a breath he didn't know he'd been holding and nodded.  
"It's getting late," Mac sighed. "We should be getting back."


	6. Chapter 6

Mac and Danny entered the penthouse, and were immediately hit with the sound of a fight. Shouting and breakable objects hitting walls joined with Sonny's voice, raised in clear anger. Mac instinctively moved to block Danny, in case Sonny had heard them come in. He readied himself when someone came around the corner; relaxing when he saw it was Jessie.

"Danny," Jessie looked distressed and Danny stepped forward.

"Is everything ok?" He asked. Jessie shook her head.

"Somethin' went wrong with the deal for next week," Jessie explained. "Sonny's goin' ballistic in there. I don't want you anywhere near him right now."

"Where's Maria?"

"It's alright, I sent her down to the bar. She's fine," Jessie turned to Mac. "I don't wanna put you out, but can you take Danny with you?" Mac simply nodded. Jessie breathed a sigh of relief, turning back to Danny.  
"I'll call you when it's ok to come back."

"What about you?" Danny looked worried and Jessie smiled reassuringly.

"I've been matching Sonny blow for blow since we were kids; I'll be fine." Danny nodded, a little uncertainly before turning to Mac. Mac smiled as best as he could and indicated towards the door. Danny walked out, and Mac turned to Jessie.

"Take care of him," Jessie said seriously.

"I will," Mac promised before following Danny out.

(~*~)

Danny entered the apartment cautiously. He looked around slowly; forcing himself not to react when he heard the lock click into place on the front door. He turned to look at Mac, who was doing his best to smile reassuringly. Danny could see the concern in the older man's eyes; the way Sonny had been acting when they got there scared the blonde more than he ever remembered being.

"Make yourself comfortable," Mac offered. "I'll go make some coffee." Danny nodded and moved over to the sofa, while Mac left for the kitchen.

Once alone in the kitchen, Mac pulled out his phone and dialled the number to the lab. It rang twice before it was answered.

"_Crime Lab. CSI Bonasera speaking."_

"Stella," The word sounded like a sigh when Mac spoke. "I've got some more information for you."

"_On the case file? Good, because I'm having no luck."_

"The sister," Mac explained quietly. "Her name is Maria. She's seventeen years old."

"_Alright. I'll see what I can find out, and I'll let Flack know."_

"Thanks Stel," Mac smiled to himself as he heard the phone disconnect.

Danny tried not to listen in when he heard a soft whispering from the kitchen. It wouldn't have mattered, since the words were two quiet to be heard; but Danny could feel the exhaustion in the tone as Mac spoke. Standing up slowly, Danny wandered around the room, trying to distract himself from what was happening in the kitchen. He looked at the bookshelf; seeing science journals and classic literature – things you certainly wouldn't associate with a convicted felon. The desk in the room was completely bare, but one drawer was open; not enough to see anything, but enough to make Danny curious. Looking to check for Mac, Danny slid the drawer open silently, his heart leaping to his throat at what he found there.

"I hope you like your coffee black, because I'm out of milk." Danny whipped around to look at Mac as the older man spoke to him. He stood, with two cups of coffee in his hands, looking confused at the sudden despair on Danny's face.  
"Something wrong?" He asked carefully.

"You…" Danny's tone was disbelieving. "You're a cop?"


	7. Chapter 7

Mac immediately became defensive at the accusation. His eyes darted quickly to the draw, which was open and displaying his badge and detective pin. Placing the cups on the serving hatch, Mac looked back to Danny, panicked, and was surprised when the younger man began to laugh.

"Danny?" Mac was careful; quickly realising the tone of the laugh. Danny definitely wasn't amused.

"I should've known," Danny spoke bitterly through the laugh. "The way you talked to me. I shoulda figured it out." Mac wasn't sure if he should ask, but he took a shallow breath and stepped forward.

"How did I speak to you, Danny?"

"Like I'm a victim." Mac could hear the vehemence in Danny's voice now. "It's not the first time I've heard all that. 'We can help you, if you'll let us,' 'Trust me, Danny, I can protect you.' It all ends the same."

"How?"

"I end up back there!" Danny was shouting now; pacing the short space, clearly agitated. "Louie picks me up, I drop the charges, and two weeks later I'm right back at the station." Mac risked another step forward; stopping dead when Danny turned a glare on him.  
"So how were you gonna do it? Promise me immunity? Witness protection?" Danny advanced on Mac. "Or were you just gonna arrest me? What kinda charge does solicitation carry these days?"  
The anger in Danny didn't seem to be abating, and Mac knew he needed to do something. Slowly, he closed the now small gap between them; looking at Danny with an open expression.

"I'm going to help you, Danny," Mac spoke with conviction. "Whether you let me or not." Mac stilled himself at the look in Danny's eyes; expecting a violent outburst from the other man. What he got was a pair of lips pressed, almost desperately, to his own. Mac's hands instinctively went to wrap around Danny's waist; pulling the younger man in and anchoring him to the moment. He kissed back carefully; letting Danny lead them. They were pulled apart by the sound of Danny's phone ringing. He stopped kissing Mac reluctantly; leaning his forehead against the older man's as he reached into his pocket.  
"Ignore it," Mac whispered, causing a smile to surface on Danny's face.

"I can't," He answered, just as quietly. Mac sighed as Danny pulled away completely to answer his phone. As the younger man took the call, Mac moved to close the open drawer. The call was over quickly, and Mac looked up to see Danny staring at his phone; a haunted look in his eyes.

"Hey," Mac stepped closer to Danny.

"That was Jess," Danny mumbled. "I gotta get back."

"Don't." The word was out before Mac could stop it, and he cringed at the fraught look Danny gave him.

"I have to. Sonny will get suspicious." Mac sighed in frustration, but nodded.

"Alright," He said softly; placing his hands on Danny's shoulders. "But if you get into trouble, I want you to go to the 14th precinct and ask for Detective Flack, ok? He's a good friend of mine; he'll help you." Danny nodded slowly, looking into Mac's eyes.

"I will." Mac looked back at Danny and, once he was satisfied with what he saw, he nodded and moved out of the way. Danny looked as if he was about to say something, but instead walked past Mac and out of the apartment.

(~*~)

Danny stepped carefully into the penthouse. Everything was disturbingly quiet. He jumped a little when Sonny rounded the corner; his heart stopping at the look in his eyes.

"Where the hell have you been?"

(~*~)

Mac reached out from his position on the sofa; picking up his ringing phone.

"Yeah?" He answered shortly. Panicked filled him at the tone of the caller.

"_Mac, you need to get to the station," _Don sounded worried.

"What is it?" Mac asked; already halfway out the door.

"_Danny just came in. He's in pretty bad shape, Mac."_

(~*~)

Mac rushed through the bullpen, finding Don quickly and stopping in front of him.

"Where is he?" Flack put out a placating hand.

"Hawkes is in with him. I asked him to check Danny over, because he wouldn't go to the hospital." Mac nodded jerkily; his panic clear to those who knew him well.

"Do we know what happened?"

"Sonny worked him over pretty good. Danny came to me, said you told him where to go. Mac, how does he know who you are?" Mac sighed, decompressing a little.

"He figured it out. He's smart. He found my badge." Don nodded his understanding, just as Hawkes came out of the room. Mac and Don looked expectantly at the ME.

"He's pretty shaken up," Hawkes answered their unasked questions. "He'll be fine with a few days recuperation, two weeks at the most. Mac, he's asking for you." Mac nodded mutely as Hawkes stepped past them and out of the precinct. Mac stepped forward, about to go in and see Danny, but a hand on his shoulder stopped him.

"How do you know he didn't tell Sonny about you?" Flack asked solemnly. Mac smiled a little bitterly at the question.

"Because I trust him." Don nodded at the response; letting go of Mac's shoulder so the older man could enter the office.


	8. Chapter 8

Mac closed the door carefully, but the sound was still enough to startle Danny. The younger man looked up, and Mac's heart dropped. Dark bruises were blooming over Danny's face and neck; punctuated by angry red scratches and a split lip. Danny looked away, mistaking the guilt in Mac's expression for pity.

"You shouldn't have come," Danny whispered. "It's too dangerous. Someone could see you."

"I don't care about that right now," Mac answered, sitting down opposite Danny. "I'm more worried about you."

"I didn't tell him anything," Danny looked at Mac now. "He just thinks I'm in love with you. He doesn't know who you are."

"That's not what I meant," Mac protested softly. "I shouldn't have let you go alone. I'm sorry, Danny."

"Wouldn't have mattered," Danny mumbled, looking at his injured hands. "I saw the look in Sonny's eyes tonight. This was gonna happen, even if he didn't have an excuse." Mac moved to his knees in front of Danny's chair; covering the younger man's hands with his.

"I could have stopped him," The mutinous look in Mac's eyes actually made Danny feel a little safer.

"Would've messed up your case," Danny argued back quietly. "He wouldn't have dealt with you if you'd defended me."

"I don't care about that."

"You should," Danny stood up abruptly, knocking Mac off balance. "You've been working to catch him; get him off the streets so he can't hurt anyone else. I don't matter compared to that." Mac wanted to argue, but he knew Danny wouldn't listen. Instead, a question hit him.

"Why now?" He asked softly. "According to your record, Sonny hasn't assaulted you in five years." Danny laughed lowly and shook his head.

"I haven't reported it in five years. Doesn't mean it hasn't been happening." Mac rose slowly to his feet, waiting patiently for Danny to continue.  
"Maria's brother, Michael," Danny explained. "He was always the one that made Louie bring me in."

"The 'unfortunate accident'?" Mac asked quietly.

"Sonny shot him," Danny stated flatly. "Blamed it on some kid from Pelham Bay. I always knew why; he made sure of that." Mac felt true anger well up inside him, and he didn't know how he would be able to look at Sonny again without putting a bullet in the man's head.

"C'mon," Mac sighed, reaching a hand out to Danny. "I'm taking you home with me."

"Mac," Danny began to protest, but the look on Mac's face quickly silenced him, and he moved into the embrace the detective was offering.

(~*~)

Mac closed the door quietly behind them; watching carefully as Danny walked around the room. It took a moment for Danny to realise he was being watched, and he turned to look at Mac.

"Guess I'll take the couch," Danny mumbled. "I'm pretty tired, think I'm gonna get some sleep." Mac stepped forward and took Danny's hand. Silently, he led the younger man through to his bedroom.

Danny seemed confused, but the intense look was still in Mac's eyes, and it kept him quiet. Slowly, Mac raised a hand; ghosting it over the bruises on Danny's forehead.

"You're squinting," Mac noted.

"Lost my contacts," Danny replied; his voice barely a whisper. Mac nodded, letting his hand run through Danny's hair; checking for wounds as much as offering comfort. Danny's eyes slid closed, and so he jumped a little when he felt Mac's lips on his forehead. Danny sighed softly as Mac moved around; kissing each of Danny's bruises. He moved slowly; feeling Danny relax further with each kiss; across his jaw and down his neck. Mac carefully removed Danny's shirt, and he pulled back for his first look at the damage Sonny had done. Mac barely held back a sharp intake of breath at the patchwork of blues and purples he saw. Letting his hands run down Danny's sides, Mac felt the younger man tense.

"C'mon," Mac mumbled, leading Danny to sit on the bed. "I have some ointment for these. It'll help you sleep better." Mac left Danny long enough to retrieve the ointment, before sitting on the bed next to the blonde. Dipping his fingers into the ointment, Mac spread it carefully over Danny's battered chest. A slight hiss escaped Danny's lips at the first contact, but he fell silent soon after. Mac stayed quiet too; focussing his efforts on methodically rubbing the ointment in and massaging the abused flesh. He felt when Danny completely relaxed; the tension that had been radiating off the younger man all night had been dissipating in increments since Mac started his work. Moving slowly, Mac slid onto the bed and settled himself behind Danny; starting the whole process again on his back. Danny was practically asleep by the time Mac finished, and he manoeuvred the younger man carefully into his bed. Standing up, Mac took one more look at Danny before turning to leave; intending to sleep on the sofa. A hand on his stopped him, and he looked back at an already half asleep Danny.

"Stay," He mumbled before letting his eyes fall closed; trusting Mac to follow his request. Sighing softly, Mac slid off his clothes as silently as he could, before sliding into bed next to Danny.


	9. Chapter 9

Danny woke slowly, stretching out and feeling his bones crack. He opened his eyes to see Mac sitting up against the headboard; looking down at him.

"Morning," Mac spoke softly.

"Morning," Danny replied sleepily. "Slept good." Mac smiled at the knowledge.

"Coffee?" Danny nodded slowly, sitting up.

"You always this succinct first thing in the morning." Mac laughed softly before shaking his head.

"Sorry," He mumbled. "Just thinking about tonight."

"What's tonight?"

"The sting with Sonny," Mac felt Danny tense at the name. "One more day and this'll all be over." Mac looked over to Danny; seeing the hope rise in the blonde's eyes. Mac smiled. "Then I get to take you home with me."

"Home?" Danny smiled.

"You didn't think I really live here, did you?" Danny shrugged, leaning over to kiss Mac.

"So when do we leave?"

"We?" Mac raised an eyebrow.

"I'm going with you," Danny stated. Mac laughed.

"No you're not. I want you as far away from Sassone as possible."

"You can't go alone," Danny protested.

"I won't be alone," Mac explained. "But you're not coming with me. I'll handcuff you to this bed if I need to." Danny smirked at the threat; humming low in his throat.

"That one of the perks of sleeping with a cop?" Mac smiled for a moment, before looking at Danny seriously.

"You're not sleeping with me yet. Maybe now is a good time-"

"No," Danny cut Mac off. "Don't tell me now's the time to think about what I'm getting into." Danny touched Mac's arm; rubbing his thumb over the skin there. "Being with you is the safest I've ever felt in my life. I know we don't know much about each other, but for now that's enough for me. Will it do for you?" Mac smiled; kissing Danny by way of response. Sliding off the bed, Mac walked around and towards the door.  
"Hey," Danny called; making Mac stop and look at him. "What's your real name?"

"Mac Taylor," Mac answered. He thought for a second before adding. "Detective." Danny smiled.

"Mac Taylor. I like it." Mac smiled back before turning and leaving to get coffee.

(~*~)

Don sighed as he placed the last piece of tape over Mac's wire. The older detective had been silent almost the whole time they'd been here. Patting Mac's shoulder made him look up, and Flack smiled comfortingly.

"Everything alright?" He asked.

"If something goes wrong today, I want you to do something for me." Flack wanted to argue that nothing would go wrong, but the serious look on Mac's face had him nodding silently.  
"Take care of Danny," Mac spoke quietly. "Make sure Sonny doesn't get anywhere near him; Louie too." Don nodded solemnly.

"I'll take care of him," He promised. Mac smiled in thanks before putting his shirt back on over the wire.

(~*~)

Mac strode confidently into the warehouse. As expected Sonny was already there; leaning against his car with a smirk on his face. Mac stopped a few feet from Sassone; keeping his posture as relaxed as possible.

"I gotta say Rogers," Sonny started. "I didn't expect you to come."

"This is just business," Mac replied stiffly. "No point screwing it up over a personal vendetta."

"So I don't need to worry about any concealed weapons?" Sonny pushed; smirk still in place.

"I've got something you need, and you've got something I need. And once this is over, it's over. I go my way, you go yours, and I never hear from you again."

"And Danny?"

"Danny comes with me. You don't see him or talk to him. You do and we'll have some problems." Sonny laughed loudly; pushing up from the car.

"I didn't expect it to happen this fast," He feigned a sigh. "Danny played you like a cheap violin. You really think he loves you?"

"I didn't ask," Mac countered. "But I saw what you did to him, and that's enough for me." Sonny became serious as he approached Mac. They stared at each other for a long moment before Sonny smiled again.

"I always did like you," He said shortly; turning back towards the car. "Let's get this done." Mac followed cautiously as Sonny opened the back door of the car. Sonny leaned into the car, and Mac was only a little surprised when he came back out with a gun. Mac sighed tiredly as Sonny looked angrily at him.  
"How stupid do you think I am?" Mac smirked at Sonny, putting his hands in his pockets.

"You really want me to answer that?"

"You're a cop." Sonny sneered. Mac laughed.

"You been snorting your supply Sonny?"

"Nobody acts like you did, especially around Danny. The way you were lookin' at the kid the first night, I wasn't expecting you to make it to a bedroom."

"So being a gentleman makes me a fed now?" Mac forced himself not to flinch as Sonny cocked his gun.

"Being a good guy is what makes you a cop. I know every lowlife in this city, and none of 'em are anything like you." Mac looked at the ground, smiling ruefully. Sonny saw the admission in the action.  
"Gimme one good reason why I shouldn't shoot you right now." Mac looked back up; danger flashing in his eyes.

"I don't have one," He spoke quietly. "What I do have is about a hundred reasons why I should've killed you. Strange thing is, I can't think of any of 'em right now." Fear showed clearly on Sonny's face, and Mac took this as his cue. He moved quickly; knocking the gun to the side as he tackled Sonny to the ground.  
They wrestled desperately back and forth before their actions were stilled by a gunshot.


	10. Chapter 10

Danny rushed through the precinct, stopping short when he saw Don.

"Flack," Danny sighed in relief; worry still etched into his features. "What's goin' on?" Danny's heart was beating out of his chest, but he calmed when he saw Flack smile.

"It's alright," Don spoke reassuringly. "Mac's fine. He's just getting checked out by the medics." Danny frowned softly.

"What about Sonny?"

"He's in custody. We got all we needed. He's going away for a long time Danny." Danny smiled, relaxing a little.

"Can I see Mac?" Flack nodded with a smile of his own; stepping aside for Danny to go into the office.

Mac looked up when he heard the door open; smiling softly when he saw Danny. Concern still creased Danny's forehead, but Mac could tell he was relieved to see him. The EMT in the room saw Danny and quietly excused herself from the room. Mac sat still; keeping his eyes on Danny as the younger man crossed the room. Danny stopped in front of Mac; looking him over carefully. He noted every bruise and scrape, along with the bandage on his upper left arm.

"What happened?" The question was a whisper; Danny looking into Mac's eyes anxiously.

"Gunshot," Mac admitted quietly after surveying Danny's gaze. "The gun went off when we were fighting." Danny nodded shortly; reaching out to tentatively touch Mac's face. He rubbed a thumb over the detective's cheek, feeling Mac relax at the caress.

"We're going home," Danny spoke curtly, and one look at his face told Mac not to argue. Slowly he stood up.

"You don't know where I live," He tried. Danny smirked.

"I'll drive, you navigate"

(~*~)

Danny closed the door behind them, his hand tightening around Mac's waist. The older man had thankfully stopped pretending he didn't need help, and was now leaning into Danny as the Italian led him to what he assumed was bedroom. Mac let himself be led; the painkillers slowly clearing from his mind.

When they got to the bedroom, Danny didn't let Mac lift a finger. He led him to the bed; shedding both sets of clothes on the way. Danny pushed Mac softly, and the detective followed the encouragement; lying back on the sheets. Danny smiled softly, placing a gentle kiss on Mac's lips. He moved slowly; dropping soft kisses over all of Mac's cuts and scrapes in mimic of Mac's actions a few days before. Moving back, Danny's eyes lingered over the bandage around Mac's arm. There was a small spot of blood visible, and Danny pressed his lips to it reverently. Mac's eyes drifted closed at the attention, and Danny slipped off the bed carefully.

"Stay right here," Danny whispered. "I'll get you something to take your pain meds with." Mac made a vague noise and Danny smiled as he wandered out of the room.

Danny came back into the room a little while later with a bowl and a spoon. Mac pushed himself up on the bed as best he could. Placing the bowl on the nightstand, Danny helped Mac to lean against the headboard. Mac tried to reach for the bowl. He twisted his arm a little wrong; suppressing a hiss. Danny sighed, pushing Mac gently back into position. With a mischievous smile, Danny picked up the bowl and straddled Mac.

"Here," Danny said softly, holding the spoon to Mac's lips. "Eat." Mac smirked but opened obediently. They continued that way; Danny feeding Mac spoon by spoon, until the soup was gone. Danny put the bowl down, but didn't move from his position on Mac. The detective raised his hands, running them over Danny's fading bruises.

"We make quite a pair, don't we?" Mac said; laughter in his voice. Danny hummed his agreement; his hands moving in mirror to Mac's.

"You need to take your pills," Danny mumbled, not stopping his ministrations. Mac shook his head; his hands still moving too.

"Doesn't hurt anymore," Mac whispered back. Danny smiled wryly.

"Really?" Mac nodded and Danny leaned down to kiss him. Smiling into the kiss, Mac pulled Danny down onto him before flipping them both over. Danny laughed breathlessly as Mac slid over him.

"I think we should talk," Mac said softly. Danny smiled up at the ceiling.

"Ah, yes, the talk," He replied. "Alright." Mac pushed himself up a little to look at Danny's face. Danny looked back down to Mac.  
"Well, let's see. I have nowhere to live. My only form of income was very illegal, and that's gone too. Oh, and I'm in love with the cop who just busted my brother and his best friend. That about cover it?" Danny was smirking, and his eyes lit up at the smile Mac gave him when he said 'love.'

"That seems to sum it up," Mac said brightly; leaning in to kiss Danny. When they parted, Mac looked at Danny seriously. "I can't fix the jobless problem, but I can give you a place to stay. This bed's always been too big for just me." Danny smiled widely and leaned over to curl himself around Mac.

"Thanks," Danny whispered, and Mac knew he meant everything. Smiling softly, Mac placed a kiss on Danny's forehead.

"Let's get some sleep."

The End


End file.
